Jan Blake Beijing Leaves

Suspended Painted Silk Sculptures

Project Outline

In the summer of 2012, Bristol based artist Jan Blake received a commission for a new installation inspired by the suspended silk sculpture ‘New Leaf’ which we helped Jan create in 2005 for the DEFRA HQ in London. A ‘visionary outside-in, inside-out spatial perspective’ inspired by Architect John Tiah, this time the suspended artwork was to be installed a little further from home in Beijing, China.

Our Solution

Using the same construction methods as before but to a slightly smaller scale, we patterned and manufactured the natural silk organza fabrics and fitted them to bespoke steel frames. After Jan had worked her artistic magic by individually hand dyeing the leaves in her studio, they were carefully crated at our Bristol Factory and shipped to Beijing where they were met personally by Jan and her team of specialist riggers who carried out the delicate install.

Results

Commissioned by The Art Management Specialist in Hong Kong, a series of twelve hand painted silk leaves measuring 3.5 metres long by 1.6 metres wide now tumble down from the atrium ceiling of the Indigo Shopping Centre.